Tandem-spring draft-rigging.



Ilium" gym/6oz Patented May 21, 1912.

R. E'. FRAME. TANDEM SPRING DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.19, 1909. Q

7? G v i .8 $391 anon 1e13- UNITED STATES PATENT ohms-"f2.

- Banners. FRAME; or s'r. Louis, ms'soum, assrenon ro'amnnrcan can erection? oomrnmr, on ST. Louis. 'mrssormr, a eonronarron or nnw JERSEY.

TANDEM-SPRING- DRAFT-RIGGITNG.

Specification of Letters Patentl Pate t-ea Ma er. 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. FRAME, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tandem-Spring Draft-Rigging, of'which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri 'tion, such as will enable others Skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, 'as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to persons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved draft rigging, being partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the intermediate follower stops, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken just forwardly of the intermediate follower stop. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view showin the manner of connecting the intermediate follower stop to the draft sills. Fig. 5 is a front elevational view.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved draft-rigging wherein the draft sills are firmly connected by means forming a part of the draft-rigging, to prevent lateral bulging of the said draft sills, as; well as for other reasons hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the parts A-A are draft sillsand the forward follower of the rear spring.

H-H are the follower thimbles commonly employed to hold the springs in proper position, a filler I being provided between the rear end of the drawbar yoke and the next adjacent follower F.

Between the draft lugs 13- 3 is an inter provided with forwardly and rearwardly ex tending flanges 2 by means of which said intermediate follower stop member in securely connected with the draft sills A, said member bridging the gap between shid draft sills, as best shown in Fig. 3, whei' ein the bridge portion 3 extends over the i'novable guts of the draft-rigging and is out out sufciently to'permit passage thereunder of the drawbar yoke and the elongated rivets which extend through said yoke and tliethimblo' G.

The member 1 is provided with. follower seats H, on which bear respectively the rear follower of the forward spring and the forward follower of the rear spring. Between the seats '-l-l= member 1 is provided with the vertical legs 5, which extend from the top of the draft sills to a place somewhat below the lower flanges of said sills, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The intermediate follower stop member 1', may be plied to any standard tandem spring draft rigging, leaving all parts of the draft rigging open and easily accessible, so that repairs, or the substitution of new parts for damaged parts can be conveniently made. It should be noted, in this connection, that the forming of the 'stop member 1 independently of the stops B permits the use of the stops 1 of the same size in connec tion with draft gears of different capacities, as by placing the stops B at a suitable distance from the stop 1 to acconunodate springs of different lengths. The bridge portion 3 serves to bind the leg portions 5 inseparably together so as to present the shoulders 4 on the opposite legs, at all times, in proper alinement to receive the center followers F; this in addition to the important function of: binding the draft set forth. These results are obtained in a single, simple and inexpensive casting such as may be manufactured and sold independently of the precise capacity and details of the'draft gear with which it is to be employed. Connecting the draft lugs.B-B on each side of the draft rigging and connected also with the bottom flanges 6 of the intermediate member 1 are straps 7 which serve as supporting beams for the mediate follower stop member 1, whielnis separately formed and can be readily epsills together when in operative position, as

followers. "When the parts are in. their normal position the vertical thimble G in alinement with the vertical legs of the member 1, butwhen the draft gear is subject to huffing or pulling strains the position of the vertical thimble is somewhat rearwardly or forwardly of said vertical legs. Thus in bufling thev followerlfi bearing; against the front side of the intermediate member 1 will be stopped by-the vertical legs 5 of said intermediate member, while the rearmos't follower will be held against thedraft lugs farthest from the drawbar, while in pulling the position of the parts Willbe'reversed; that is, the forward follower ofthe rear spring will abut against said vertical and the forward follower oiIthe'tow To permit of sufficient metal in the bridge portion 3,' it is preferred thatthe'" Figw 1 said draft lugs being Wider at the flanged ends which are lnipinged hy' the followers 3? than at their opposite ends, which 1 are contracted, as shown, so as to come with- .in the area of said draft sills.

Extending forwardly and rearwardly' of the intermediate follower seats; 4 the member 1 is provided with ribs 9 whicheextend inwardlysufliciently far to serve as guides to hold the shorter intermediate followers i F ,.inl eorreet alinement Lduring ,operation of'the draft gear, as in boiling-"and pull- 'll'lgvfl It. will be noted in Fig. 2 that the endfollowers F are of sufiicient length to extend almost across the gap between the draft sills While the intermediate"followers are somewhat shorter to permit seating thereof on the seats 4 of the casting 1.

Having described the invention, what I claim is-:' in a tandem spring front I and back 'draft'lilgs' secured to'the draft I sills, 'jan independent intermediate comhined'hridge and follower 'st'optspanning the 'llllddlfi portiononly of the yoke and abutting the intermediate followers;

In witness whereof I 'have' hereunto "set my hand in thepi'esenee ofstwowitnesse's." draft lugs 13 shall extend below the plane oi" the draft sills A, as'clearly'sbmvii in' 

